Prior art television cameras including image pickup tubes have support structure for holding the image pickup tube such that its optical axis is generally in alignment with the optical axis of the objective lens. The support structure includes image pickup tube holding means which is releasable, so that when the image pickup tube becomes inoperative, due to its relatively short average lifetime or premature accidental burn-out, it can be easily replaced. Precise registration of the optical axis of the pickup tube with the optical axis of the lens (or other pickup tubes) is not conventionally established by the support structure and its releasable holding means, but is instead accomplished by fine adjustment of the horizontal and vertical deflection signals used for scanning a raster on the pickup tube. This adjustment of the deflection signals is performed at the time of camera manufacture and again if an image pickup tube has been replaced. Furthermore, if the optical alignment of the image pickup tube becomes offset, due to for example an impact on the camera lens or body, adjustment of the deflection signals can usually be performed for reestablishing the required optical alignment.
With the advent of television solid-state imagers having a relatively long operating lifetime, a releasable holding means for supporting the imager is generally not required. Furthermore, solid-state imagers have an alignment requirement within a one micron (1.times.10.sup.-6 meters) range, thereby making a releasable holding means which can maintain tight alignment tolerances practically impossible to achieve. For best optical alignment and stability, it is desirable to bond an imager, or a beamsplitter including a plurality of imagers, directly to the objective lens. However, this is not practical in typical television cameras due to the requirement of providing for interchangeability of objective lenses.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a precision mounting arrangement for a television camera lens and solid-state imager which is relatively simple to manufacture and assemble and which can reliably maintain the required precision alignment over the useful lifetime of the camera.